Student Spotlight – International student living in Lincoln

Written by An Nguyen,  University of Lincoln student from Vietnam, studying an MSc in Marketing. 

I always remember the night when I said goodbye to my family and walked through the airport departure gates. My Mum kept reminding me to take care of myself, whilst my Dad gave me a big hug and said “Be strong, my daughter. I fully believe you can conquer any challenges in this new adventure!” I packed all of these emotions and love into my luggage and started a new chapter of my life in Lincoln.

When I arrived in the UK…

Upon arriving at the airport in London, the University’s International Office was there to meet me, along with other new Vietnamese students (and students from around the world!).

I was both sleepy but excited and when arrived in Lincoln they helped me take my luggage to my student accommodation then they took me to the supermarket to buy food and supplies.

When I arrived on campus the following day, I met lots of UK and International students, many were studying on my course. Throughout my studies, I built a good relationship with my lecturers, who have a wide range of relevant industry experience which they share this experience through their teaching.

The University offered me a £5,000 Merit Scholarship, which was a valuable opportunity for me and helped me to pursue my journey and my dream to study in the UK.

Lincoln

Lincoln was exactly how I imagined it to be. It is a small, yet peaceful and safe city. Everything is within walking distance, which means I never have to wait for public transport! It is very different from my hometown of Ho Chi Minh City.

I liked the old, historic style of Lincoln and my favourite place to go was ‘Steep Hill’. I have included a photo of me at the bottom of the hill so you too can experience its splendour!

My course

As a Marketing student, I had lots of opportunities to participate in real life projects, in which I applied my theoretical knowledge into practice. In my ‘Brand Management’ module, my classmates and I worked on creating branding strategies for the Canwick Park Golf Club in Lincoln.

These working projects are such valuable portfolios for my future career and it created a team-working spirit among me and my international classmates. This is just one example of the practical elements of the course, although I was nervous at first, working in a team is a great way to share ideas and support each other.

Library and city centre

I lived just a 5-minute walk from the university campus, this was useful when I needed to use the library for late night studying. The University Library is open 24 hours a day for most of the year so it is not unusual to see students in there at 3 am!

The University of Lincoln is also just a 5-minute walk from the city centre, which was extremely convenient for me to get daily supplies and hang out with friends after or between lectures. In the city centre, you can find many traditional British places to eat and drink.

The history of Lincoln is what makes it so attractive, every time I walk into the city it is like being in the film Harry Potter!

I would recommend trying all of the British food that Lincoln has to offer, for example, there are lots of ‘Tea Rooms’ where you can try the very British – afternoon tea!

Other than studying, eating and drinking – coming to Lincoln is about making the most of the opportunity and meet life-long friends. I am extremely glad that I have had the opportunity to study at the University of Lincoln and I hope others can too.

Although the life of an international student will have many challenges, the memories I have made here will last a lifetime.

I believe it will give me the experience that employers are looking for, help me to become more mature and independent. I hope you will also share the same feelings with me about Lincoln and the UK. Remember, if you visit the UK in the winter… bring some warm clothing!

This article is featured on Learning at Lincoln.